Do you keep it, live in it and embrace a whole new lifestyle?
Do you sell it and enjoy the windfall of $495,000 in tax-free cash?
What a great problem to have as the winner of the 2016 Spruce Kings Scheck Construction-built 2,712 square-foot show home.
With a one in 10,000 chance of winning, odds are much better than any other lottery, and chances look even better right now as there are only about 7,000 tickets sold and the grand prize draw date is set for Monday, April 18.
"This is the first time in six years that there's a chance we won't sell out," said Lu Verticchio, business and marketing manager for the Spruce Kings.
Great for increasing the odds of a win, not so great for the future of the Spruce Kings, a non-profit society with a volunteer board.
"The Spruce Kings have a strong presence in the community," said Tom Bohmer, president of the Spruce Kings, former board member, former member of the coaching staff and former player. "The Spruce Kings are not just about the hockey club and the 20 players on the ice. One of the highlights for me this year is that we were able to host foster children at the rink. It's not about a group of shareholders that are looking to make a return. We're a group that's committed to the city of Prince George and to our culture and in order for us to keep that alive and moving forward fundraising efforts like this have to be successful."
The show home and mega 50/50 draw cover more than 65 per cent of the Spruce Kings' operating budget. In its 34th year, the team's main fundraiser is the longest running show home lottery in B.C.
"When times get tough we rely on the community to support us and they have throughout the years in a huge way," said Bohmer. "The success of the show home dictates our ability to do some things creatively in the community and help different user groups."
The Spruce Kings help with fundraising by donating tickets and their time for other community group events throughout the year.
"When you buy a show home ticket or a 50/50 ticket you allow us to subsidize other groups and it allows us to support those activities that we as a board feel is very important for our community," said Bohmer. "When the show home is successful all that financial pressure is lifted."
Hockey sticks cost about $30,000, billet houses for out-of-town players that live in town for the season cost about $38,000, while for players attending away games the expenses run about $155,000 each year.
"Because we're a society and the mandate is not to make a huge profit, the money goes back into the community by going to bursaries, scholarships, tickets for the less fortunate, hockey school," said Bohmer. "The money goes back into the community as part of our mandate."
The custom-built show home includes five appliances from RK Furniture Gallery, security system and one free year of monitoring from A-Tech Security. Located in the Aberdeen Glen subdivision, the show home features vaulted ceilings in the kitchen, living room and dining room.
The theatre room offers multi level seating so there's not a bad seat in the place. There's a custom bar downstairs perfect for entertaining family and friends. The cherry cabinets, hickory wide-plank hardwood and Russian birch flooring adds warmth and elegance to the home. The home is fully landscaped with an underground sprinkler system and an interlocking brick driveway.
Tickets for the show home lottery are $100 and $20 for the Mega 50/50, with a grand prize if sold out of $40,000. Cut off to purchase a show home ticket and the 50/50 is noon on Monday, April 18 with the draw for the show home set for 3:30 p.m. and the draw for the 50/50 set for 3 p.m. at the house at 2662 Links Drive.
The hours to view the show home have been extended to Monday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Check out the slide show and virtual tour at www.sprucekingsshowhome.ca.
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